Apple Blindsides Competition in Phones and Wearables

iPHONE 6, WATCH AND APPLE PAY ALL BREAK COVER

Tuesday, September 9 2014, at 10am PDT. Finally, we had a date and date for what could surely
simply be described as "the big one" - quite a term, given that the world had already seen quite
a few "big ones" from this particular source.
Those of us who are 'in the know' when it comes to all things tech - and that seems to be
almost all of us, these days - have seen events like this before. We've read all of the chatter on
the rumor blogs beforehand, contemplated what we might expect to see ourselves, talked
about it with friends and all manner of other things. Yes, that's right, we're talking about the
latest major Apple And yet... there was already a sense that something was very different about
this Apple launch, of all Apple launches, even before those mysterious invitations came through
and it was revealed that the Cupertino tech giant's latest keynote would take place at DeAnza
College's historic Flint Center, where the late Steve Jobs just happened to debut the original
Mackintosh computer way back in 1984.
Yep, that's right, it's the 30th anniversary year, and Apple isn't the kind of company to let such a
milestone pass without at least something pretty seismic... right? Well, that was for Jobs'
successors to prepare to show the world and for the rest of us to wonder about... with
occasionally weird, wonderful.
THE ONLINE RUMOR PAGES WERE ABLAZE
Now, you could be forgiven for thinking that a mere serendipitous location doesn't necessarily point to
anything massive happening. After all, it's not as if the Apple launches that have taken place over the
last few years since the death of Jobs have generally been earth-shattering affairs.
Sure, we've had some interesting incremental updates, variations of successful existing products and
some useful innovations. We've had stuff like iPad Minis and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, but
broadly speaking, an Apple product launch keynote in recent years hasn't meant the debut of a
dramatic new product, one that shakes its category to its core in the way that the first iPhone and iPad
did in 2007 and 2010 respectively.
However, that hasn't stopped the seemingly endless line of rumor websites suggesting that Apple was
furiously cooking up another blockbuster of a product. This event was always likely to see the unveiling
of a new iPhone - this being Apple's traditional time of year for such a thing, it would have been a
significant shock if the iPhone 6 hadn't broken cover.
Nope, what people really wanted to know was whether the Californian firm's long, long, long-awaited
entry into the burgeoning tech wearables market dubbed the iWatch' up to this point by the rumor
blogs - would also make an appearance. Alas, speculation about a spring 2015 release date for
such a product suggested that even today, we were surely in line for only a teaser at best.

SECURITY HEAVY IN THE RUN-UP TO THE BIG EVENT

With it becoming so widely known prior to the keynote that it was to take place at the Flint
Center, it was no surprise that snaps of the venue being prepared quickly surfaced on the
aforementioned rumor sites and social media. What greeted the professional and 'citizen'
journalists alike was something pretty memorable in its own right: a giant white structure in

close vicinity to the venue, another sure indicator that this wasn't going to be 'just another
Apple product launch'.
What those visitors also saw was a sign reading 'No trespassing. Private event.', accompanied
by security officers in glowing vests, who were obviously keen to ward off prospective intruders
to the plaza. Apple's reputation for the utmost security in the lead up to its major launches
didn't exactly make this a shock either, and in any case, you didn't need to be one of the select
few people with badges - presumably Apple staff or vendors - to have a decent idea of what
was going on inside.
As aforementioned, it was the iPhone 6 and 'iWatch' that had already been most heavily talked
about in the weeks and months preceding the big event, with the leaks that have become
customary at this time of year seeming to be a bit more numerous this time around.
WHAT PEOPLE WERE EXPECTING FROM THE iPHONE 6
It goes without saying that any upcoming iPhone will be the subject of ferocious and in-depth rumor, so
what did the conjecture blogs serve up for us this time? Well, they were certainly very detailed, covering
everything from the new device's name and design to its inner specifications and software.
It was practically a given that the device would be called iPhone 6, given Apple's past naming patterns.
But there were also suggestions by such reputable news sources as The New York Times and The Wall
Street Journal that the iconic smartphone's external casing was set for a dramatic overhaul, with
leaked photos pointing to a design incorporating the original iPhone's smooth, rounded contours as
part of a nonetheless unashamedly modern device.
The likes of Sonny Dickson - the man who leaked what turned out to be accurate images of the
iPhone 5c case - and custom iPhone shop Feld & Volk had already given us a good idea of what the
device would look like via visual leaks and approximations. Among the other talk about the iPhone 6's
appearance was that the long-rumored sapphire glass could finally turn up to make the cracked
iPhone screen a thing of the past, as well as that the glass could be curved.
TALK OF TWO SIZES OF iPHONE 6
Admittedly, some of this speculation had been around ahead of previous iPhone launches, only to
prove unfounded. With Apple having broke with tradition by announcing two new iPhone models
at the same time last year, widespread suggestions that this year's model would be available in
both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch variants seemed much closer to the mark.
Other pre-event speculation about the iPhone 6 revolved around its internal specifications.
Would near field communication (NFC) technology finally make its debut on an Apple product,
connecting with the iWatch and helping to truly usher in an era of convenient mobile
payments, with the mere touch of a device? If nothing else, the new phone would surely at
least include a quicker and revamped A8 chip, while there was also rumor about a larger
battery.

The news and rumor blogs were on such safer ground when it came to discussion of iOS 8- after
all, the Cupertino firm's latest mobile operating system already officially broke cover some
months ago, giving the speculation-happy journalists something new to play with in the
meantime. It unsurprisingly bears much visual resemblance to iOS 7, but does include a Health
app that brings together all manner of health and fitness data.
It was already widely imagined by writers that Apple's debut wearable - whatever form it finally
ended up taking - would make extensive use of the Health app and accompanying HealthKit
API.
THE 'iWATCH' WAS MUCH TALKED ABOUT, TOO
The iWatch, of course, was subject to no shortage of its own rumors in the lead up to the big
launch. So much mystery had prevailed as to whether the device would appear at the event at
all, that there was perhaps less attention paid to the finer points of its design and specification.
However, there also seemed no doubt among assembled writers and bystanders that the
device would come to pass.
Of the talk that we did have about the more specific aspects of the 'iWatch', much of it
centered on whether it would be offered in multiple sizes, amid suggestions of a range-topping
2.5-inch number - quite a lot larger than the Samsung Galaxy Gear's 1.63 inches, which isn't
exactly a modestly-sized watch itself. Again, sapphire glass was speculated about, as was
wireless charging and a section of the App Store specifically dedicated to iWatch-optimized
apps.
Naturally, NFC and health tracking have cropped up as regularly in talk about the iWatch as
they have about the iPhone 6.
Neither are exactly new to mobile devices, with health monitoring, for example, already a
mainstay of such devices as the Jawbone Up and Nike FuelBand. More worrying for many
bystanders were the suggestions that the iWatch would fail to appear at the September
keynote at all, and that it would not even ship until 2015.
Even with the iWatch yet to be officially unveiled, it was remarkable just how much it already
seemed to be affecting the wearable technology market. Analysts have talked about the iWatch
having the same momentous impact on the wearables market that the iPhone and iPad had on
their respective categories, with Forrester Research tipping Apple to shop up to 10 million
iWatches in the first year. Morgan Stanley opted for an even bolder figure of 30 million to 60
million.
The wearables market will be worth $170 billion by 2020, analysts at the investment bank
Cowen have predicted, amid suggestions that Apple, Amazon and Google will be the dominant
players.
HOW THE EVENT ACTUALLY UNFOLDED
So, we've established that this event was always going to be a big one - surely the most
important, in fact, since Steve Jobs' presentation of the first iPhone. It all adds up to one of the
most crucial days in Apple's history- so how did it go?

The answer, in two words, is "very well". Not only did the iPhone 6 break cover as was entirely
expected, but so did the 'I Watch', which turned out to be merely dubbed the Apple Watch. The
latter was unveiled in the dramatic style to which Steve Jobs would have surely given a knowing
wink, not least as this marked the first time since the former CEO's death that his successor Tim
Cook used the immortal phrase "One more thing..." in introducing the company's new gamechanger.
FACTORS MAKING THE iPHONE 6 BIG NEWS
But first things first... the iPhone. This was one unveiling where size truly mattered, as within a
matter of seconds, Tim Cook had announced the physically largest iPhone ever, before
confirming an even bigger one. All in all, the products announced almost exactly corresponded
with the expectations of the pre-event rumor mill.
This was certainly the case with the two new iPhones, dubbed iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and
with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch diagonal displays respectively. The smaller of the new handsets has a
1334 x 750mm display resolution, compared to the 1920 x 1080mm resolution screen of the
larger device, and both make use of upgraded display technology, called Retina HD. Both
phones are also thinner than the iPhone 5s, at a respective 6.9mm and 7.1mm.
As also predicted by the online rumormongers, the phones sport rounder edges than the rangetopping device they replace, in addition to extended battery life and enhanced cameras.
Owners of the new phones are also sure to welcome the ability to see more information when
they tilt their device to landscape-mode orientation, as well as a new one-handed mode
enabling the forward and backward navigation of websites simply by swiping.
THE iPHONE 6 ISN'T JUST SKIN DEEP
Oh, and the new devices aren't too disappointing under the bonnet, either. The Cupertino
firm's new 64-bit A8 processor powers each one, apparently making them 50 times quicker
than the first iPhone. The event also gave us the chance to see some demonstrations of the
processor's gaming process, with some pretty impressive graphics for us to savor as developers
already get to grips with the new handset.
A new M8 co-processor also sees its debut in the iPhone 6, its barometer for the measurement
of elevation allowing it to detect owner movements like walking and bicycling. Then, there's the
not-insignificant matter of the eight-megapixel camera that features in both devices, albeit with
a new sensor for taking improved photos. Apple has said that there is shared technology with
DSLR cameras, which certainly sounds good to us.
Low-light photography is apparently better with the new camera, while the image
stabilization has also seen improvement to further minimize blurriness in photos. Face
detection ensures that the images produced nicely focus on the faces of the people that are
snapped, while a new feature, Burst Selfies, enables the taking of multiple simultaneous shots much as its name suggests.
THE APPLE WATCH CAUSED AN EVEN BIGGER STIR
It takes a lot for a new iPhone not to be the undoubted star of any major Apple product keynote, and yet,

that came to pass in more ways than one on Tuesday. As sleek, quick and functional as the iPhone 6 and
iPhone 6 seem, let's be honest... it's territory that we've roughly been in before.
We were left in no doubt that this wasn't just a regular Apple product launch by the announcement of the
amazing new mobile payments service Apple Pay, which has been covered in more detail
elsewhere in this publication. But even that didn't hog the limelight that the first ever Apple wearable did
when it was unveiled before a hugely appreciative Flint Center audience.
When Tim Cook decided to say the immortal words "One more thing..." for the first time since Steve Jobs'
passing, you just knew that it had to be the introduction to something pretty big... something that would
show the world once and for all that Apple's innovative mojo did not depart with Jobs. That sense was
confirmed that what we all thought would be announced, finally was.
APPLE WATCH, A TRIUMPH OF DESIGN
As the first snatches of the Apple Watch scrolled onto the screen, it became clear pretty quickly that this was
a classy product, both designed and engineered with a level of precision entirely befitting of the most
upmarket wearable.
The design was truly beautiful, with all who watched being wooed by the sapphire glass and six different
swappable straps, ranging from a stainless steel strap and sport band to a leather loop and classic
leather buckle. We were also informed that the device would be available in two sizes, 1.5 inches and 1.65
inches diagonally, and in the three versions of Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition the latter being the
'premium' end of what is already evidently a premium range of items.
There were even 11 different faces to choose from, Apple confirmed, which when one also
considers the metals from which the watch is made - namely grey or silver anodized aluminum,
polished or black stainless steel and 18-karat rose or yellow gold - made it clear that this is a seriously
customizable device. Not surprisingly, Apple was keen to talk up that aspect, while emphasizing what a
quantum leap the Watch represented for the Californian giant and technology wearables in general.
BULLISH WORDS FROM COOK AND IVE
As Tim Cook put it, "Apple introduced the world to several category-defining products, the Mac, iPod, iPhone
and iPad. And once again Apple is poised to captivate the world with a revolutionary product that can enrich
people's lives. It's the most personal product we've ever made." That tallies nicely with design head SirJony
lye's pronouncement in represented a movement towards technology with ever-increasing "warmth".
Indeed, the company's senior vice design of Design continued in the accompanying press release: "With
Apple Watch, we've developed multiple technologies and an entirely new user interface specifically for a
device that's designed to be worn. It blurs the boundary between physical object and user interface. We've
created an entire range of products that enable unparalleled personalization."
ASTOUNDING INNOVATION AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL
When Apple declares something to be its "most revolutionary navigation tool since the iPod Click Wheel
and iPhone Multi-Touch", you can be sure that it's a big deal - and what it calls the Digital Crown does
not disappoint. The feature allows for easy scrolling, zooming and navigation, and even serves as the
Home button and a convenient means of accessing Siri.
Cook emphasized at the unveiling that Apple had been careful not to just shrink the iPhone onto a device to be
worn on the wrist, arguing that this would greatly compromise the user experience. He said that rather than
transfer an interface that would obstruct too much of the display, Apple had conceived one with the
requirements of a smaller device specifically in mind.
Other intriguing features boosting the ease of use and functionality of this interface included Force Touch,

which by being able to tell the difference between a tap and a press, allows for the easier and quicker access
to controls within apps. Apple has also spoken of "an entirely new vocabulary of alerts and notifications you
can both hear and feel", made possible by the new Taptic Engine and an in-built speaker.
SO MANY MORE GROUND-BREAKING FEATURES
Does all of that not sound innovative or exciting enough for you? Well, what about the Handoff
integration that allows you to start a message on your Apple Watch before finishing it off on an iPhone?
It's also possible to respond quickly to messages with Smart Replies and dictation the former analyzing the
messages that you receive and suggesting possible answers, so that you could be just a tap away from
responding to your mate's message when you're otherwise busy. There's also a feature called Glances,
referring to vital information like your current location, a scheduled meeting or stocks, as is viewable simply
by swiping up from the watch face.
Other cool features of the new Watch include the ability to access a list of your Friends by pressing the side
button, which makes quick contact a cinch, while another aspect that caught the eyes and ears of those
watching at the Flint Center was Digital Touch, which enables the sending of audio messages, a simple tap, a
sketch or even your own heartbeat. There is also, of course, integration with the aforementioned Apple Pay.
HEALTH IS ANOTHER MAJOR FOCUS OF THE WATCH
What else marks out the Apple Watch? Well, health has certainly been a focus for the Californian tech giant
in recent times, as the new wearable embraces. The company has talked of how its new Activity app will
motivate more people to get active, while the accompanying Workout app informs the user of vital metrics
when they are working out.
From the Watch's ability to draw on your iPhone's GPS and Wi-Fi to keep an eye on
your daily activity levels in conjunction with an in-built heart rate sensor, to the Activity a pp's measuring of
the calories that you burn and how frequently you stand up during the day, it's clear that the Watch will be
hugely health and fitness oriented from launch.
If you're a prospective Apple Watch app developer, you'll be pleased to know that by the end of the
year, new tools and APIs will be available for you via the newly introduced WatchKit, enabling you to
create original apps designed for the device, and incorporating actionable notifications and Glances. As
for the release date, Apple hasn't volunteered anything more precise than "early 2015", adding that
prices will start at $349.
That all sounds pretty tempting to us, although you should bear in mind that you will require an iPhone to
use the Watch, and that the iPhone in question will need to be an iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s or - of
course - one of the just-announced iPhone 6 models, running the most recent version of iOS 8.
THE PRESS REACTION TO THE BIG NEWS

The big event closed out with a performance of U2's latest single, "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)",
alongside an announcement that the band's new album, Songs of Innocence, would be immediately
made available for free for iTunes customers. The gathered press representatives and the wider world
following the proceedings via social media then took their chance to react to the day's momentous
developments. Were the iPhone 6 and Watch Apple's latest world-beaters, or just a little overhyped?
The overall verdict seemed to lean more towards the former, with the significance and scale of the
event as a whole perhaps best summed up by Mark Rogowsky, who wrote for Forbes that the Watch's
unveiling had helped to render the iPhone 6's debut "almost an afterthought. Only Apple can pull off an
event like the one it put on today." He went on to describe the wearable's design as a "tour de force".

His was just one of many rave reviews for all of the devices that got their first airing on Tuesday. Gadget
reviewer David Pogue, for example, declared on Twitter that the Watch housed "by FAR the richest,
deepest, most elaborate smartwatch OS ever," adding as the product's many features were shown
off: "I can't type fast enough to show all the stuff they're showing."
WHAT INDUSTRY ANALYSTS THOUGHT
What about the analysts? Do they reckon it's time for the popularization of the smartwatch? More
importantly, how do they rate Tim Cook's chances of repeating the trick of the man who preceded him as
Apple CEO, of persuading those who have previously never felt the need for the company's latest
blockbuster product to part with their cash?
James McQuivey of the research firm Forrester is evidently one man who thinks the smartwatch's time
has come, describing now as "very clearly one of those moments." He added that "People know they need
watches, they know that they need smartphones, and Apple has made a combination of those things that

is better than each of them."

Some others, however, had their reservations. Angela McIntyre, an analyst at Gartner, declared the Watch's
launch a case of "still wait and see", suggesting that the price tag could prevent it becoming a truly mass
market device. She tipped the smartwatch to mainly appeal to early adopters and those who already owned
a number of Apple devices.
As for the new iPhones, the global director of gadget insurer Protect Your Bubble, Stephen Ebbett, hailed
Apple's effective entry into the 'phablet' market with the iPhone Plus, suggesting that the sector "just got
a whole lot more mainstream."
Naturally, journalists also got some hands-on experience with the new iPhone following the main keynote,
giving them the luxury of more fully-formed opinions. Gareth Beavis, writing as "what we've been waiting for"

and "A strong iPhone that Apple sorely needed to release - this will keep the Apple fans happy for a
while." He was especially complimentary of the new handset's design, camera and battery life improvements.
THEN, THERE WERE THE CELEBRITIES...
It goes without saying that at any world-renowned event like this, there will be plenty of social media chatter, and it
is inevitably the "slebs" who tend to attract the most 'likes' and retweets as they flex their wit muscles.
In a show that would surely brought a knowing nod from the late Joan Rivers, the world's celebrities didn't
disappoint with their 'funnies', from John Stamos' remark that "Tim Cook looks good in the same color
tank I wore in the Kokomo video" to the delighted declaration of Elizabeth Banks that the new iPhone was
"bigger than bigger", alongside the hashtag #SizeMatters.
Not all of the Twitter celebs were trying to be amusing, with Andy Cohen simply describing himself as "very
pumped about the new iPhone" and Rose McGowan professing herself to be "obsessed" with the Apple
Watch. Will Arnett apologized to his followers for "the blank look on my face", explaining that he was "just
dreaming about the new iPhone", while Olivia Wilde bemoaned the announcement of "more products for me
to become entirely emotionally dependent on."
But if there was any celebrity who "won" Twitter with their reaction to the big news, it was surely Ellen
DeGeneres, with her pronouncement that she was "So excited for the Apple Watch. For centuries, we've
CONTINUING THE STEVE JOBS' LEGACY
Steve Jobs' final advice to his replacement Tim Cook may have famously been not to ask "What
would Steve do?", but that hasn't stopped plenty of chatter about what Tuesday's news meant for the
legacy of the company's former talisman.

Of course, it should first be said that even Jobs' judgments were not necessarily always perfect and
unchangeable - as anyone who has read in-depth on the Apple story knows. Still, it's interesting to
read of certain views expressed by Jobs a few years back, in light of the announcement of enlarged
iPhones.
The first iPhone screen, for example, measured just 3.5 inches, enabling it to be held and operated
with the fingers on one hand. Even as larger rival devices appeared, he declared that "You can't get
your hand around" them, adding: "No one's going to buy that."
The rise of the 'phablet' market has proved Jobs wrong on that score, and indeed, the first 'i Pad
Mini' emerged just a year after his death. As for the Apple Watch, Tim Cook confirmed in an
interview with ABC News that work only began on the project after Jobs' passing.
Nonetheless, he was keen to emphasize that the "DNA" of Jobs remained present in everything the
company did, adding that he thought his predecessor would be "incredibly proud" of what the firm he cofounded had done in the years since 2011, including its entry into the emerging wearables category.
A TRULY GREAT DAY FOR APPLE
As all of those in attendance at the Flint Center finally filtered out, the social media followers
contemplated what they had seen and heard and the lights went down on another Apple keynote, Tim
Cook was able to reflect on another successful day for Apple - indeed, perhaps his proudest moment in
his three years at the helm of the Cupertino firm so far.
Much in the future obviously depends on how shareholders and the wider public will respond to the new
products. There have been gripes in the past about bold new Apple product releases, only for those to be
blown out of the water by subsequent sales success, and all eyes will now be on the news pages for more
information about how the iPhone 6 initially sells, as well as confirmation of the Apple Watch's exact release
date.
This wasn't just another Apple keynote - it was surely the most important since the iPhone's first
appearance, so the work of Cook and co is far from over. Indeed, it has only just begun. We can't wait to try
out the new devices for ourselves ahead of another giddily exciting year for Apple.
by Benjamin Kerry & Gavin Lenaghan